Ms. Alysha Gallant

Trust in the B.C. Curriculum (It’s Like a Compass, but for Teaching)

Teaching Reflects the Inner Self

Parker Palmer’s concept of teaching as a mirror to the soul highlights how our struggles, insecurities, and joys influence how we connect with students. To teach effectively, we must embrace self-awareness and authenticity, integrating our whole selves into the learning process.

Empathy Dismantles Shame

Brené Brown highlights empathy’s importance as the antidote to shame. In classrooms, vulnerability builds trust and shows students they are safe to do the same. Prioritizing positive behaviors while valuing self-worth helps foster resilience and ensures all students feel joy, creativity, belonging, and love.

Relationships Are the Heart of Learning

Rita Pierson’s words, “Kids don’t learn from people they don’t like,” emphasize the power of connection in education. Building trust and showing kindness create spaces where students feel seen and supported, unlocking their potential for growth and learning.

Reconciliation is a Gift

Kevin Lamoureux reframed reconciliation as a gift from Indigenous communities, not an obligation. Understanding our collective history is essential, and education must challenge dominant narratives, amplify Indigenous voices, and pave the way for meaningful change.

Creativity Needs a Comeback

Sir Ken Robinson’s critique of education killing creativity inspired me to think differently about teaching. Education should empower students to stretch their intellectual wings, embracing inquiry-based learning and creative problem-solving across all subjects. Teach every subject as we would teach dance!

Assessment as a Tool for Growth

Shifting from summative to formative assessment transforms learning. Encouraging self-reflection and using feedback as a growth tool helps students become self-motivated learners, fostering independence and ownership over their progress.

The Power of Student-Driven Learning

Shelley Wright’s advocacy for student-centered learning inspired me to rethink the classroom dynamic. Students should have a voice in shaping their education, allowing them to pursue passions and learn collaboratively within a supportive community.

Harnessing the Power of GEEK

Ryan Radford’s idea of “keeping up with the geeks” reminded me of the importance of staying current with technology. Embracing tools like 3D printers can bridge gaps between education and industry, preparing students for meaningful careers while igniting their passions. Plus, they make some pretty cool stuff!

Curriculum Should Be Dynamic and Contextual

Curriculum is not static; it evolves through dialogue and interaction and it evolves over time. By understanding social, cultural, and economic contexts, educators can adapt teaching to meet students’ needs, making learning relevant and impactful.

This semester has been a journey of growth, introspection, and discovery. These lessons will shape my practice as I strive to create classrooms where curiosity thrives, connections deepen, and every student feels seen and supported.

Teaching is more than imparting knowledge; it is an act of love, courage, and constant learning. As I continue this journey, I look forward to applying these insights to help my students explore their potential and embrace the joy of lifelong learning.

As a child, one of my favourite shows was Cardcaptor Sakura. The storyline enchanted me: a seemingly ordinary girl who discovers she can control magical cards called the Clow cards. She had a stuffed animal for a protector (Keroberos); she was fearless, resilient, and an excellent problem solver. She had a strong community that always had her back, and she always rose to a challenge.

Her growth, courage, and self-discovery journey resonated with me throughout childhood and adulthood. The Sealing Wand, the instrument that allows her to channel her magic, is a powerful metaphor for the transformative power of education. Just as Sakura’s journey was one of self-discovery and growth, education has the power to transform lives and inspire us to reach our full potential.

The Sealing Wand evolves with Sakura, mirroring her growth and her adaptability. This is much like the journey of education itself, where teachers and students grow together, adapting to new challenges and opportunities. The wand is only a tool with no power on its own, much like the knowledge and resources educators provide. What makes it magical is how it is wielded—how teachers guide students to discover their strengths and how students, in turn, make these tools their own and grow. Just as Sakura uses the Sealing Wand to capture and transform the Clow cards, overcoming every obstacle along the way, educators help students tackle challenges, break down complex ideas, and turn them into something meaningful.

Every Clow card Sakura captures becomes part of her journey, just as every concept a student learns adds to their growing cache of skills and knowledge. It’s a journey that students must actively participate in, for each journey is unique. We, as educators, are here to help facilitate meaningful learning, helping our students form their own ideas about the world around them.

Teaching, like the Sealing Wand, demands focus and trust. It is a delicate balance between guiding students and allowing them to explore independently. Sakura’s journey is built on persistence and learning through trial and error, which mirrors how students and educators grow. Mistakes aren’t setbacks but “happy little accidents,” as the great Bob Ross says. They are opportunities to reflect and improve, a natural part of the learning process.

The most profound aspect of the wand is its ability to connect Sakura to forces larger than herself, just as education connects students to the broader world of ideas and endless possibilities. This metaphor reflects the kind of teacher I strive to be: a guide and tool for transformation, helping students unlock their potential and ignite their passions to help them find their place in the world. Like Sakura’s journey, teaching is full of challenges and magic—the kind that comes from growth, discovery, and believing in the extraordinary. It’s a journey where mistakes are accepted and celebrated as crucial stepping stones in learning.

*Edit*

Two words:

Curiosity and Connection

Place-based learning is about engaging with the world around us to deepen our understanding of place, identity, and relationships.  During a visit to Two Rivers Art Gallery in Prince George, we immersed ourselves in a powerful exploration of art and its ability to reflect, challenge, and inspire. Through thought-provoking exhibits, we examined our relationship with community, identity, and history, discovering how the stories told through art can teach us about ourselves and the world we share.

The first exhibit we visited was the gallery’s permanent collection. One of the standout pieces, Police Scrum, depicted blacked-out figures in riot gear—a stark, almost oppressive image that invited us to consider power, authority, and control.

Nearby, paintings of Indigenous peoples contrasted sharply in their portrayal. Figures in Western suits were painted with clear, discernible faces, while those in traditional regalia had their faces blurred, almost obscured.

The heavy use of red in these paintings seemed to symbolize the violence of colonialism—a visceral reminder of the harm inflicted on Indigenous communities. These works sparked discussions about representation, identity, and erasure. Who gets to be seen clearly in history, and who is rendered invisible? How does colonialism continue to shape the narratives we tell, and how can art help us confront those truths?

A Walk in Sunflowers by Ukrainian artist Mykola Zhuravel offered an equally impactful exhibit. Among the vibrant works in the collection was Mariupol’s Madonna, a haunting painting of a pregnant woman lying on a stretcher carried by faceless men, surrounded by roses. The piece was chilling, evoking themes of sacrifice, loss, and resilience.

This painting forced me to confront the dualities of being a woman: our strength, even when our worlds are crumbling, and the societal expectations that seek to adorn our pain rather than truly see it. It reminded me of the countless women who have borne the unimaginable and of the importance of creating spaces where our stories can be told without filters or simplifications.

This exhibit reminded us that art is a universal language, one that bridges distances and invites us to see the world through another’s eyes. Zhuravel’s work brought us into a dialogue about global issues. At the same time, it encouraged us to reflect on what resilience and beauty look like in our own community.

Another part of the exhibit featured a map of Prince George, inviting us to reflect on the places we knew and to wonder about the ones we didn’t. Tracing familiar streets and landmarks sparked memories and a sense of connection, while the unknown areas piqued our curiosity. Why had we never been to these places? What histories or stories might they hold? This simple exercise transformed the map into a tapestry of relationships, experiences, and mysteries, encouraging us to see Prince George not just as a physical space but as a living, layered narrative waiting to be uncovered and understood.

This experience at Two Rivers Art Gallery exemplifies the power of place-based learning to connect students to their local community while also fostering a global perspective. Art becomes a tool not only for self-expression but for inquiry, allowing students to ask big questions: What does this mean for me? For my community? For the world?

By immersing ourselves in these exhibits, we didn’t just learn about the art—we learned about ourselves, our city, and the histories that continue to shape us. Place-based learning invites us to think critically about the spaces we inhabit, to uncover stories that have been hidden or overlooked, and to reimagine our roles as active participants in those stories.

As I reflect on this visit, I am struck by how much I learned from simply slowing down and looking closely—at the art, at my community, and at the conversations unfolding around me. This, I think, is the heart of place-based learning: it reminds us that the world is our classroom, and every place has something to teach us if we take the time to listen.

During a recent field trip to West Lake Provincial Park, our class engaged in a profoundly enriching learning experience that underscored the power of land-based education. By immersing ourselves in the natural world, we found new ways to connect teaching and learning to the environment, our lives, and the larger community, thereby highlighting the importance of land-based education.

Our day began with a focus on land acknowledgment, an essential practice in land-based learning that recognizes the histories, cultures, and ongoing contributions of Indigenous peoples whose traditional territory you reside. Working in small groups, we used a pamphlet prepared by our peers to guide us in crafting personalized acknowledgments. These were heartfelt expressions of our relationship with the land, acknowledging the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation, on whose unceded territory West Lake and Prince George reside.

Land-based learning embraces the idea that the land itself is a teacher. To embody this principle, we engaged in activities inspired by Walking Curriculum created by Dr. Gillian Judson, which emphasizes the pedagogical power of movement and observation in natural spaces. In small groups, we chose one of the suggested walks. My group selected a “shapes walk,” during which we searched for geometric forms in the landscape.

The exercise transformed the land into a canvas for discovery. We noticed triangles in the angles of the posts that held the gathering structure together, circles in the ripples of water and clouds, and rectangles in the textures of fallen bark. These shapes connected us to cognitive tools like pattern recognition and abstraction, demonstrating how land-based learning fosters creativity and critical thinking.

Reflecting on this experience, we discussed the versatility of the activity and how it could be adapted for various lessons, such as art, math, or science. This adaptability empowers educators to use the land as a teaching tool. This approach is deeply rooted in Indigenous ways of knowing, which teach us to view the land as a living entity with wisdom to share. We are helping to shape the next generation of land stewards, so building a connection with land early on in the educational quest is essential.

As I think about incorporating land-based learning into my future teaching practice, I am inspired by how it fosters respect, curiosity, and collaboration. Whether through nature walks, sit spots, or hands-on exploration, these experiences give students a deeper understanding of their place in the world and their responsibility to care for it. Land-based learning combined with the Walking Curriculum invites us to step outside the classroom and into the world, encouraging us to look for connections, deepen our understanding, and nurture our sense of wonder.

As we continue to explore how to bring more land-based learning into our teaching practices, I’m excited to think about how this approach can be integrated into future lessons. By focusing on the heart of teaching—relationships, connection, and presence—we can create learning experiences that are not only meaningful but transformative for both educators and students alike.